Absence from school

Going to school is important for your child’s education and development. Attending regularly means they can learn for their future, and build the social skills that help them manage friendship and other relationships and help reach their full potential.

So being absent from school for prolonged periods could mean they fall behind. Research suggests it may also increase the risk of your child becoming involved in anti-social behaviour outside of school.

Some reasons children skip school

There are any number of reasons why your child may choose to truant. For example, they may skip school if they have problems with:

• school work
• a distressing situation such as bullying
• home – such as money, housing or care arrangements
• transport to and from school.

The legal situation

Legally, all children between the ages of five and 16 must have some form of full-time education. So it’s important to take your child’s school attendance seriously. If a child is often absent without good reason (such as illness), the school or local authority may decide to take action. But they are also there to help you before it becomes a serious problem. Find out more from Directgov .

If your child has been avoiding school

If your child has been avoiding school, it’s important to approach the subject sensitively. They may have a problem that you don’t know about. So:

• tread carefully when you ask why they have avoided school. If there are serious reasons behind it, they will need your support.
• show them that you have listened and understand why they made their choice – even if it may have been the wrong one.
• talk it through. See if there’s a constructive way to solve the problem.
• approach their form tutor. They are there to help you improve your child’s attendance.

If you’re worried

If you are  worried about your child not attending school or you know of a child who is regularly absent from school and you think there’s a serious reason for it, call the NSPCC Helpline on 0808 800 5000. They are here to talk about all aspects of a child’s safety and wellbeing.